Tomlinson’s Feed celebrates 70 years as a family-run business.[/caption]Two generations of the Click family have owned Tomlinson’s Feed, which currently has 11 locations in the Greater Austin area.
The family-run business, which offers pet food, treats, leashes, beds, toys and other pet supplies, reached its 70th anniversary Jan. 1.
In 1946, T.R. Tomlinson, a resident of Jarrell, moved to Austin to open a chick hatchery at 908 E. 49 1/2 St., owner Scott Click said. Over the years, the hatchery became a feed store for cattle, horses, chickens, ducks and other livestock.
In 1971, Scott’s father, Liniel Click, bought the feed store from Tomlinson, Scott said. After realizing that people in the neighborhood were not raising livestock in their backyards anymore, the Click family changed Tomlinson’s into a wholesale bird business and pet supply retailer, he said. The bird business ceased operations in 2010, he said.
“The key to our success over the years is we’ve evolved with Austin,” Scott said.
The family also attributes the company’s success to being family-run, said Scott, who started working for Tomlinson’s Feed when he was 8 years old. He left to attend college but then returned to the business following graduation.
In a 25-year span, Scott and Liniel worked together daily. Although Liniel retired in 2011, Scott’s wife, Renae, and children, Brandon and Kate, continue to operate Tomlinson’s with Scott.
The Round Rock location, at 200 University Blvd., Ste. 300 in the University Commons Shopping Center, opened in March 2014. Scott and Renae Click both graduated from Round Rock High School and have lived in Round Rock for the past 30 years. Scott said each location is special to them, but the Round Rock store in particular because it is their hometown community.
“We are pleased to offer the best in premium natural pet foods to our friends and neighbors,” Scott said. “We hope that when they visit our store, they are greeted with the same hometown friendliness that we remember way back when we went to Main Street with our parents to buy groceries from Johnson’s Grocery and, if we were lucky, a soda from Quick Pharmacy.”
Core values of Tomlinson’s
Another reason Tomlinson’s has been successful for years is the implementation of eight core values, which are posted at the Austin headquarters and all 11 store locations, Director of Customer Experience Renae Click said.
1. Health: The pet’s health is the first priority.
2. Delight: Staff wants customers to leave the store in a better mood than when they came in.
3. Quality: All food sold at the stores meet a standard of quality check.
4. Team: Employees receive enough working hours, health care and access to a 401K.
5. Expertise: Team members stay up-to-date on pet nutrition.
6. Growth: The company employs 100 people locally.
7. Animal rescue: The company hosts annual pet food donation drives.
8. Trust: Tomlinson’s staff want guests to feel like family.
